I am playing on Exiled Lands map.
Now I checked and the hives produced 7 pieces each, without me adding any bees. So I guess I was just impatient and originally thought that the honey is produced much more quickly.
Because usually the beehives are full of honey which no one can find any use for. 
I spent some more time to gather more plants, but I only got thousands of fiber, around eight hundred of insects, aloe, yellow lotus… And not a single bee. I believe the chance of getting them while harvesting was lowered anyways.